


Sweet Lullaby

by MidnightCity



Category: Formula E RPF
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 20:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14173200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightCity/pseuds/MidnightCity
Summary: Santiago offers André more than his first podium in Formula E





	Sweet Lullaby

André could not believe this. It had only been his third race, and now he was standing on the podium! Had he been asked what he expected for today, the answer would have been some points hopefully, and not the first one-two in Formula E history! He had not thought it possible that he’d be standing next to his teammate - a man whom he had quickly started to count among his closest friends - to celebrate this outstanding victory for the team.

The whole Techeetha crew was milling around them, posing for photos while whooping with joy. JEV was standing by his side, with an arm wrapped around André’s shoulders and lifting the trophy with the other.

All the time, André was unable to keep the shit-eating grin from his face. When he looked to his side, seeing the smile that was spread across JEV’s face, he knew that the feeling was mutual: his eyes were sparkling with joy. While this was not the first race that JEV had won, he seemed to be particularly proud of this achievement. As JEV noticed him looking, André could feel JEV giving him a squeeze.

In response, André also wrapped an arm around him. He let JEV pull him closer to his side, enjoying the closeness between them. They posed for more photos before JEV turned and hugged him. André pressed into the touch and closed his eyes for a fleeting moment.

As they parted, it looked like JEV was about to say something before they got interrupted. “Vergne!”, someone called for him.

André sighed quietly, keeping his hand on JEV’s upper arm while JEV exchanged a few words with the PR that had called his name. André did not miss JEV’s thumb drawing a mindless pattern on his lower arm. He smiled to himself, studying how calm but happy JEV looked at the moment: a few laughter lines were still present in the corners of his eyes, and his hair was soaked with sweat and champagne. He looked beautiful.

“Gotta go.” JEV gave André’s arm a squeeze as he walked away.

André let out a relieved breath, glad that his staring had gone unnoticed. He should be more careful when it came to indulge in his attraction to the other man. He knew that it was an unrequited and hopeless crush, but at the moment he did not care. He was not the type of person to feel ashamed for his feelings, so he was going to enjoy the small things that he was given: when JEV paid attention to him, and when they made each other laugh uncontrollably.

* * *

 

After signing autographs, and posing for more photos, André and JEV managed to separate themselves from the team. They were so occupied with celebrating that their missing presence was hardly noticed. André and JEV found a more secluded corner of the club for a bit of privacy.

Once there, André allowed himself to relax more again. He did not have to keep up a public image and smile all the time. He leaned against the wall, peeking over JEV’s shoulder who was browsing the internet and showed André a funny picture that had been sent to him. André burst out laughing, and maybe because he was already a bit drunk, he leaned against JEV for support.

JEV padded André’s side as he suggested getting them another round of drinks. André nodded, noting once more that especially today JEV seemed to be more touchy-feely than usual. He could swear that his touches were lingering!

As the thought crossed his mind, André let out a sigh. There was nothing wrong with harmlessly enjoying his crush as long as it did not hurt anyone, but he should stop reading too much into things. As much as it broke his cheerful spirit of the day, André had to face that JEV could not hold the same feelings as him. It was just banter between friends, not flirting. They were just simple touches and not more ….

“What’s with the face?” André heard JEV shout over the loud music.

Before André could turn around, JEV was standing next to him and placed his hand around André’s shoulder again. It was as if he had been doing this for years and it hadn’t been a new habit since today. Not that André minded terribly.

“It’s my face,” André returned. He gently boxed JEV in the stomach and watched with delight as JEV’s face cracked up with laughter.

Then JEV held up the second bottle of beer and offered it to André.

André shook his head. “I had enough,” he declined.

While André might be a bit tipsy he was far from drunk. He wanted to keep it this way, especially since he had taken the liberty to indulge in his feelings tonight. He did not want to say or even worse do something that he might regret later or ruin this friendship.

Suddenly concern flashed over JEV’s face as he asked, “Are you feeling sick? If so, I can take you back to the hotel. We don’t have to stay ….”

“No,” André cut through his fussing. “... I just don’t take it well.”

JEV nodded and placed both bottles aside. “I am glad,” JEV mumbled, and gave his shoulder a squeeze. As he noticed the confused expression on André’s face he began to stammer. “Not that …. you can’t stomach … I mean, it’s okay that you can’t ….” André’s lips twitched up. He knew how JEV had meant his comment, but he enjoyed watching him fail to express himself. Then JEV man-handled André in such a way that he was facing him directly, face to face.  André looked at JEV’s brown eyes, biting back laughter.  “... I meant …. I am glad you’re feeling okay.”

André smirked and nodded. “Thanks,” he mouthed.

“Especially because I requested your favourite song.”

A frown formed on his face. He hadn’t actively paid attention to the music while they had been here, but the tunes were not familiar to him.

“Maybe my timing is off …” JEV explained helplessly.

In that moment the song transitioned into a tune that André would recognise anywhere. “Fuck me up!” he exclaimed out of joy as he gave JEV a shove. This was without a shadow of a doubt his song. “I didn’t know they’d have it here!”

When André looked back at JEV he noticed the way he beamed at him. Before he could ask why he was staring like that, JEV boxed him in return to the shove. So, André thumbed his shoulder, wrapping his arm around his neck to put him in a headlock. JEV broke out laughing and tried to wind out of the grip.

Meeting very little success there, he placed both hands on André’s chest, trying to push him away. In response, André lessened his grip and began to laugh as well even though he did little to increase the distance between them.

That’s when he noticed that JEV’s hands started to wander from his chest towards his hips. André sucked in a deep breath, feeling oddly exposed all the sudden. It was as if JEV knew of the secret he had tried to hide and was taking advantage now. Then his arms closed around André’s middle.

Suddenly, André let out a high-pitched yelp as he felt JEV lift him off the ground. “No!” Helplessly he scrambled for something to hold onto and could only clutch JEV’s shoulders. “Put me the fuck down!”

JEV was laughing so much under him that he could barely hold onto André. A few moments later, André felt the ground underneath his feet again. Just as he was about to scold him that he should never ever do this again, his gaze fell upon JEV and the words got stuck in his throat.

The playful expression from earlier was gone and had been replaced by a softness that André had only thought he had imagined before. Prior it had only lasted for split seconds - seeing him look at André on the podium or stealing a gaze during the driver’s meeting. Then André did not want to admit seeing it, after all this was not a mistake you want make. However, right now it was as clear as day.

André was transfixed when JEV placed his hand on his cheek. It was such a gentle touch, and his thumb was brushing over the stubble of his beard. André swallowed hard, watching as JEV’s eyes darted to his mouth. Before he knew what was happening ….

_oh shit_

… JEV was kissing him. André kissed him back, not wanting to let go of this moment. He wanted to enjoy the kiss before JEV realized what they were doing. This had just been done in the spur of the moment, but if it was all that would happen, André would gladly take it.

So, André grabbed him by the hips and pulled him closer while running his tongue over his lips. In response, JEV emitted a delighted moan.

It was not uncommon that teammates tended to shag each other a bit - or so André had heard. It did not matter that he held different feelings for JEV than he did about André. He could still enjoy this, take the little he was given, and he could pretend …

Suddenly, André felt his breath hitch as a sob tried to escape. _Fuck_. This was not what he wanted. He did not want things to be like that between him and JEV. In the past, André had not been able to bear more - leading to meaningless or at best casual relationships … but now, he did not want things like that. He could not do this anymore. 

JEV gently pushed back. “Are you okay?”  he asked. He was still so close to him that André felt his breath.

André could not even bear to look him in the eyes. It would be too painful to explain what had just happened …

Instead he shook his head. “I can’t do this.”

André hoped and prayed that this would be enough for JEV to leave, that maybe he would throw insults at him and tell him to fuck off. Anything to escape the situation, and the sheer embarrassment of it.

Instead, JEV placed a hand on André’s cheek and tilted his head up, making him look at him. Only then did André see the softness in his face and a hint of fear.

“That’s only the alcohol and the high from the win …” André tried to explain helplessly, feeling that he was exposing too much by stating this.

Then André felt JEV running his thumb over his cheek, wiping something away. Suddenly, André realized that a tear must have escaped him. He hated how the whole situation was affecting him. This was meant to be a harmless crush … but now it was turning into his undoing and the ruin of a good friendship.

JEV took another step towards him, giving André almost no room to escape. The moment JEV bent down, André wasn’t even sure if he wanted to run away, or if he wanted to be kissed again. JEV could take this all the way, and André would probably let it happen even if it destroyed him in the end … 

But JEV did not kiss him, instead he placed his cheek against André’s, pressing gently against him before he whispered, “is this what you think is what I want?” He waited a moment, but André was unable to reply. “Because it is not.”

André felt his resolve crumble as he heard the words. It was everything that he had wanted to hear in the past, all the confirmation that he needed that his feelings hadn’t been unrequited. Yet, he was still cautious.

As if to prove to André that he was honest, JEV brushed his lips over his. It was a gentle kiss. Then he pulled away, only enough so that they’d be able to look at each other again.

“It is more than just tonight,” JEV told him. André knew JEV well enough to realize that admitting this out loud had taken courage. “Trust me.”

André bit his lips. He wanted to. He really wanted to believe that JEV was telling the truth. At the same time, the thought of opening his heart to someone again scared him. It had been years since he had chosen to take this step. “Trust doesn’t come easily to me,” André admitted.

“I am a patient man,” JEV responded as if he had been asked which colour the sky was.

Suddenly André burst out laughing, he wasn’t sure if it was out of relief or due to the absurdity of the comment. It did not matter to him.

André wrapped his arms around the back of JEV’s neck and pulled him closer, pressing their lips together. At first, he was a bit rough, maybe because he was nervous or to make sure that this had really happened. After a moment, he reduced the pressure, making it last and letting the kiss linger on his lips.

André opened his eyes and noticed that JEV kept his closed for longer, savouring the moment. When he looked at André again, his eyes were beaming as if he was the best thing that had happened to him. At that André couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Let’s get away from here,” JEV suggested as he pressed a kiss on top of André’s head.

Only after he had said that, did the real world come back to André. He had been completely blind to the fact that they were two racing drivers that regularly appeared in the papers, had to look after a public image and at the same time could have been spotted in a rather incriminating position right now.

“Yeah,” André agreed. “There are better ways to be outed than that.”

“Slightly.”

Still, JEV didn’t miss the opportunity to steal another kiss from André before he wrapped his arm around his shoulders and they left the club together. 

That night they had shared more kisses before André fell asleep next to JEV. They were facing each other and holding onto one another. André wanted to watch JEV fall asleep. However, very soon the stress and exhaustion of the day started to show, and his eyes began to fall shut.

It had been so easy to fall asleep next to JEV because he felt comfortable and knew that he was safe.

* * *

 

The next morning, André came around slowly. He stretched his toes before he let the world come back to him. It had been one of the most restful sleeps he had had in a while.

A smile spread across his lips, remembering the night, how they had kissed, the whispered promises they had made and that JEV had ridden piggy-back on André on the way back to the hotel. Most prominent, was the feeling of sleeping next to JEV.

Expecting JEV to still sleep by his side, he opened his eyes but to his surprise he found that the spot was empty. Feeling an unsuspected surge for fear, André propped himself up, only to spot JEV standing by the windows.

His back was turned towards the bed; however, the rustling of the sheets must have caught his attention and JEV turned around.

“Why are you awake already?!” JEV began to scold him. “Am not ready, go back to sleep.”

André smirked and rolled his eyes. “Then you should have burned off more of my energy during the night,” he teased him while winking at him.

The slight blush that creeped onto JEV’s face in response caused André to break out laughing.

“Relax, man,” André stated as he got out of bed. He walked up to the other man and wrapped an around his middle before they kissed softly. JEV pressed into the touch and smiled at him. André was more than willing to get used to this sight.

“What is that?” André asked he spotted something over JEV’s shoulder. JEV reached behind him trying to hide it from his view. Being quicker, André snatched it from his hands. “You soft shit.”

André looked closely at the single rose that he was holding in his hands now. Suddenly, he realised that he hadn’t been the only one in love with his best friend. All the soft gazes that he had thought he had imagined in the past had happened!

“Thank you,” André mumbled, and nudged JEV with his shoulder.

JEV only nodded in response, and André watched delighted as a small blush started to creep on his face. Instead of commenting on it, André walked back to the bed. He placed the rose on the nightstand. Then he pulled out his backpack from under the bed and produced his camera.

JEV cocked his head at him. “Stay,” André instructed him. He aimed the camera at JEV adjusting the shutter speed and focus in a way that he wanted to: JEV in focus with the sun that painted Santiago in all shades of yellow and red out of focus.

André snapped one picture and happy with the result, he placed the camera on the nightstand. Then he turned on the self-timer and walked up to JEV.

“What are you doing?” JEV asked.

“What do you think?” André teased him and stepped in front of him.

Facing each other with their sides to the camera. André stole a glance at it, and once he was sure that it would take the photo, he cupped JEV’s face and kissed him on the lips. JEV immediately placed a hand on André’s hips and let out a happy hum. In that moment the shutter went off.


End file.
